7 Gameday Gadgets for Your Next Tailgate

Beer and burgers are just the start of a great tailgate. Kick off this football season by upgrading your pre-game festivities.

Beer and burgers are just the start of a great tailgate. Kick off this football season by upgrading your pre-game festivities.

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Joshua Simpson

7 Gameday Gadgets for Your Next Tailgate

At some indeterminate but inspired moment in recent years, tailgating changed from a simple pregame communal activity into a national movement. Whether you're grilling in the chilly fall air on the University of Michigan golf course in Ann Arbor or baking on the blacktop at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium (water misters are set up there to keep fans cool), the same tips apply. Dave Lamm of TailgatingIdeas.com recommends prepping your grub the day before the game and placing uncooked food and drinks in separate coolers. Afterward, he says, clean up and dispose of trash fast. Leaving a mess can lead to time restrictions and other rules that cut against this movement's grain.

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Blacktop 360 Party Hub Grill-Fryer

Price: $250

Charcoal grills are great for the backyard, but for the ultimate tailgating experience rely on the Party Hub instead. It has a griddle to cook breakfast, a grill for your meats and kebabs, and a deep fryer for, you know, frying stuff. Four folding legs support the 26-inch cooking surface. Started by an electric pulse igniter, the propane grill's infrared-ceramic burner cooks 50 percent faster than charcoal. Better pack some extra grub. You'll draw a crowd.

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MSR Alpine Deluxe Kitchen Set

Price: $55

Forget the hassle of gathering disparate BBQ utensils. This kit fits in a 6 x 9—inch pouch and weighs less than 2 pounds. The spatula, spoon, and grater fold up; the towel is super-absorbent; and the set has much more, including a corkscrew, salt and pepper shakers, and squeeze bottles.

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Stanley Carbonated Drink Bottle

Price: $20

With its insulating plastic and neoprene sleeve, this 32-ounce bottle is designed to keep your soda or beer chilled and fizzy for over 3 hours. We forgive you for emptying it faster than that.

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Ion Tailgater AM/FM

Price: $160

Unless your buddy really knows how to play, don't tell him that the Tailgater doubles as a guitar amp. Could be awkward. Otherwise you can just use it as intended: to pump out iPhone- or iPod-stored rock anthems with 50 watts of power or to tune in your favorite sports-radio station, be it AM or FM.

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Woolrich 503 Field Coat

Price: $229

Leave the extra blanket at home. The Woolrich's 503 Field Coat is made of thick 18.5-ounce wool covered in a rain-resistant shell. Comes in Chiefs red or Packers green.

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Coleman Comfortsmart Suspension Chair

Price: $60

When you're done cooking those burgers and brats over an open flame, sit back and relax in this Coleman throne. Bungees suspend yourframe in a hammock-like repose, and a mesh fabric keeps the air flowing. There's a 2.75-inch cup holder with a small open notch for your mug handle.

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Uberlife App

Price: FREE

It's not easy to find your friends in packed gameday parking lot. Rather than texting your friends, "No, the other blue tent," try the iPhone app Uberlife, which lets you mark you exact location via GPS.

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bhenak/Flickr

Tailgate Targets

Dave Lamm of TailgatingIdeas.com says to put Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Ala., and Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on your bucket list. Talladega lets the party get rolling days before the event. "The Talladega infield is like Mardi Gras for Nascar tailgaters," Lamm says. The crowd at Lambeau fights the cold with camaraderie, even braving subzero temperatures. Lamm says the clever Cheeseheads prevent their beer from freezing by drinking faster.

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Tamer Koseli

Play It Cool With Your Coals

The sooner you pack up the tailgate party, the sooner you can get to the game. But don't just spill hot coals on the asphalt. They leave a smoldering pothole and could even torch your vehicle. Instead, pack heavy-duty foil, a gallon jug of water, and a noncombustible container, such as a stainless-steel bucket. Line the bucket with the foil, dump in the coals, and heavily douse them with water. When you return, dispose of the coals in a parking-lot Dumpster. —Steve Rousseau

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